"The pride of noise": drums and their repercussions in early modern England

This article draws on a wide range of literary and archival sources in order to explore the cultural resonances of drumming in England during the 16th and 17th centuries. It concentrates not on instrument design and playing techniques but on the varied meanings that contemporaries attached to the ubiquitous sound of the drum. The discussion begins and ends with the unmistakable military associations of drumming. In between, consideration is also given to a range of interconnected but sometimes contradictory resonances that appear to have endowed drums with considerable cultural significance. Drums spoke, for example, of authority and they worked hard to impose order in urban streets. They also played their part in the contemporary culture of punishment, and many miscreants were subjected to the humiliation of public percussion. Beyond this, drums were particularly potent in their ability to express masculinity, and female drummers were rare and remarkable. The primal potency of the instrument also rendered it valuable to the insubordinate, and rioters—like soldiers— were regularly called together 'by the drum'. Lastly, the sound of the drum was sometimes intensely festive and could also be used to publicize special events such as dramatic performances and the display of curiosities. The repercussions of drumming were thus varied, and confusion sometimes resulted when the different possibilities became entangled.

On the Distribution of Signal Phase in Body Area Networks

In this letter, we investigate the distribution of the phase component of the complex received signal observed in practical experiments using body area networks. Two phase distributions, the recently proposed kappa-mu and eta-mu probability densities, which together encompass the most widely used fading models, namely Semi-Gaussian, Rayleigh, Hoyt, Rice, and Nakagami-m, have been compared with measurement data. The kappa-mu distribution has been found to provide the best fit over a range of on-body links, while the user was mobile. The experiments were carried out in two dissimilar indoor environments at opposite ends of the multipath spectrum. It has also been found that the uniform phase distribution has not arisen in anyone of the experiments.

Thin film composite optical waveguides for sensor applications: a review

We review the design and fabrication of thin-film composite optical waveguides (OWG) with high refractive index for sensor applications. A highly sensitive optical sensor device has been developed on the basis of thin-film, composite OWG. The thin-film OWG was deposited onto the surface of a potassium-ion-exchanged (K+) glass OWG by sputtering or spin coating (5-9 mm wide, and with tapers at both ends). By allowing an adiabatic transition of the guided light from the secondary OWG to the thin-film OWG, the electric field of the evanescent wave at the thin film was enhanced. The attenuation of the guided light in the thin film layer was small, and the guided light intensity changed sensitively with the refractive index of the cladding layer. Our experimental results demonstrate that thin-film, composite OWG gas sensors or immunosensors are much more sensitive than sensors based on other technologies. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cold-induced silencing by long antisense transcripts of an Arabidopsis Polycomb target.

Transcription in eukaryotic genomes generates an extensive array of non-protein-coding RNA, the functional significance of which is mostly unknown. We are investigating the link between non-coding RNA and chromatin regulation through analysis of FLC - a regulator of flowering time in Arabidopsis and a target of several chromatin pathways. Here we use an unbiased strategy to characterize non-coding transcripts of FLC and show that sense/antisense transcript levels correlate in a range of mutants and treatments, but change independently in cold-treated plants. Prolonged cold epigenetically silences FLC in a Polycomb-mediated process called vernalization. Our data indicate that upregulation of long non-coding antisense transcripts covering the entire FLC locus may be part of the cold-sensing mechanism. Induction of these antisense transcripts occurs earlier than, and is independent of, other vernalization markers and coincides with a reduction in sense transcription. We show that addition of the FLC antisense promoter sequences to a reporter gene is sufficient to confer cold-induced silencing of the reporter. Our data indicate that cold-induced FLC antisense transcripts have an early role in the epigenetic silencing of FLC, acting to silence FLC transcription transiently. Recruitment of the Polycomb machinery then confers the epigenetic memory. Antisense transcription events originating from 3' ends of genes might be a general mechanism to regulate the corresponding sense transcription in a condition/stage-dependent manner.

Genetic regulation of the ramA locus and its expression in clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae

Tigecycline resistance has been attributed to ramA overexpression and subsequent acrA upregulation. The ramA locus, originally identified in Klebsiella pneumoniae, has homologues in Enterobacter and Salmonella spp. In this study, we identify in silico that the ramR binding site is also present in Citrobacter spp. and that Enterobacter, Citrobacter and Klebsiella spp. share key regulatory elements in the control of the romA–ramA locus. RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) mapping indicated that there are two promoters from which romA–ramA expression can be regulated in K. pneumoniae. Correspondingly, electrophoretic binding studies clearly showed that purified RamA and RamR proteins bind to both of these promoters. Hence, there appear to be two RamR binding sites within the Klebsiella romA–ramA locus. Like MarA, RamA binds the promoter region, implying that it might be subject to autoregulation. We have identified changes within ramR in geographically distinct clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae. Intriguingly, levels of romA and ramA expression were not uniformly affected by changes within the ramR gene, thereby supporting the dual promoter finding. Furthermore, a subset of strains sustained no changes within the ramR gene but which still overexpressed the romA–ramA genes, strongly suggesting that a secondary regulator may control ramA expression.

A molecular model for drug binding to tandem repeats of telomeric G-quadruplexes.

The extreme 3'-ends of human telomeres consist of 150–250 nucleotides of single-stranded DNA sequence together with associated proteins. Small-molecule ligands can compete with these proteins and induce a conformational change in the DNA to a four-stranded quadruplex arrangement, which is also no longer a substrate for the telomerase enzyme. The modified telomere ends provide signals to the DNA-damage-response system and trigger senescence and apoptosis. Experimental structural data are available on such quadruplex complexes comprising up to four telomeric DNA repeats, but not on longer systems that are more directly relevant to the single-stranded overhang in human cells. The present paper reports on a molecular modelling study that uses Molecular Dynamics simulation methods to build dimer and tetramer quadruplex repeats. These incorporate ligand-binding sites and are models for overhang–ligand complexes.

Targeting telomerase and telomeres: a click chemistry approach towards highly selective G-quadruplex ligands.

Maintenance of telomeres—specialized complexes that protect the ends of chromosomes, is undertaken by the enzyme complex telomerase, which is a key factor that is activated in more than 80% of cancer cells, but is absent in most normal cells. Targeting telomere maintenance mechanisms could potentially halt tumour growth across a broad spectrum of cancer types, with little cytotoxic effect outside cancer cells. Here, we describe in detail a new class of G-quadruplex binding ligands synthesized using a click chemistry approach. These ligands comprise a 1,3-di(1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)benzene pharmacophore, and display high levels of selectivity for interaction with G-quadruplex DNA vs. duplex DNA. The ability of these ligands to inhibit the enzymatic activity of telomerase correlates with their ability to stabilize quadruplex DNA, and with estimates of affinity calculated by molecular modeling.

Molecular dynamics and principal components analysis of human telomeric quadruplex multimers.

Guanine-rich DNA repeat sequences located at the terminal ends of chromosomal DNA can fold in a sequence-dependent manner into G-quadruplex structures, notably the terminal 150–200 nucleotides at the 3' end, which occur as a single-stranded DNA overhang. The crystal structures of quadruplexes with two and four human telomeric repeats show an all-parallel-stranded topology that is readily capable of forming extended stacks of such quadruplex structures, with external TTA loops positioned to potentially interact with other macromolecules. This study reports on possible arrangements for these quadruplex dimers and tetramers, which can be formed from 8 or 16 telomeric DNA repeats, and on a methodology for modeling their interactions with small molecules. A series of computational methods including molecular dynamics, free energy calculations, and principal components analysis have been used to characterize the properties of these higher-order G-quadruplex dimers and tetramers with parallel-stranded topology. The results confirm the stability of the central G-tetrads, the individual quadruplexes, and the resulting multimers. Principal components analysis has been carried out to highlight the dominant motions in these G-quadruplex dimer and multimer structures. The TTA loop is the most flexible part of the model and the overall multimer quadruplex becoming more stable with the addition of further G-tetrads. The addition of a ligand to the model confirms the hypothesis that flat planar chromophores stabilize G-quadruplex structures by making them less flexible.

Schistosome I/Lamides - A new family of bioactive helminth neuropeptides

Here we report the identification of a new family of helminth neuropeptides with members in both nematodes and flatworms, and include preliminary cell biological and functional characterisation of one of the peptides from the trematode parasite of humans, Schistosoma mansoni. Bioinformatics and Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RACE)-PCR were used to identify the completes. mansoni neuropeptide precursor gene Sm-npp-1, which encodes three pentapeptides bearing the motif (A/G)FVR(I/L).NH2. Similar peptides were identified in three other flatworm species and in 15 nematode species. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) and immunocytochemical (ICC) analyses showed that Sm-npp-1 is constitutively expressed in larval and adult worms. ICC and confocal microscopy were employed to localise one of the schistosome NPP-1 peptides (GFVRIamide) in adult worms and schistosomules; antibodies labelled a pair of neurones in the cerebral ganglia that extend posteriorly along the main nerve cords. GFVRIamide displayed no detectable co-localisation with FMRFamide-like peptides (FLPs), nor was it detectable in muscle innervation. Exogenously applied peptide had a significant inhibitory effect on the mobility of whole adult worm pairs at 10(-5) M (n = 9). Finally, we explored Sm-npp-1 function in schistosomules using RNA interference (RNAi); we successfully achieved specific knockdown of the Sm-npp-1 transcript (54.46 +/- 10.41% knockdown, n = 3), but did not detect any clear, aberrant mobility or morphological phenotypes. NPP-1-like peptides are a new family of helminth peptides with a cell-specific expression pattern distinct from FLPs and a modulatory effect on schistosome muscular activity. (C) 2011 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Architecture of Home in Cairo: Socio-Spatial Practice of the Hawari's Everyday Life

The hawari of Cairo - narrow non-straight alleyways - are the basic urban units that have formed the medieval city since its foundation back in 969 AD. Until early in the C20th, they made up the primary urban divisions of the city and were residential in nature. Contemporary hawari, by contrast, are increasingly dominated by commercial and industrial activity. This medieval urban maze of extremely short, broken, zigzag streets and dead ends are defensible territories, powerful institutions, and important social systems. While the hawari have been studied as an exemplar for urban structure of medieval Islamic urbanism, and as individual building typologies, this book is the first to examine in detail the socio-spatial practice of the architecture of home in the city. It investigates how people live, communicate and relate to each other within their houses or shared spaces of the alleys, and in doing so, to uncover several new socio-spatial dimensions and meanings in this architectural form.

In an attempt to re-establish the link between architecture past and present, and to understand the changing social needs of communities, this book uncovers the notion of home as central to understand architecture in such a city with long history as Cairo. It firstly describes the historical development of the domestic spaces (indoor and outdoor), and provides an inclusive analysis of spaces of everyday activities in the hawari of old Cairo. It then broadens its analysis to other parts of the city, highlighting different customs and representations of home in the city at large. Cairo, in the context of this book, is represented as the most sophisticated urban centre in the Middle East with different and sometimes contrasting approaches to the architecture of home, as a practice and spatial system.

In order to analyse the complexity and interconnectedness of the components and elements of the hawari as a 'collective home', it layers its narratives of architectural and social developments as a domestic environment over the past two hundred years, and in doing so, explores the in-depth social meaning and performance of spaces, both private and public.

FMRFamide-like peptides in root knot nematodes and their potential role in nematode physiology

FMRFamide-like peptides (FLPs) are a diverse group of neuropeptides that are expressed abundantly in nematodes. They exert potent physiological effects on locomotory, feeding and reproductive musculature and also act as neuromodulators. However, little is known about the specific expression patterns and functions of individual peptides. The current study employed rapid amplification of cDNA ends-polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR) to characterize flp genes from infective juveniles of the root knot nematodes, Meloidogyne incognita and Meloidogyne minor. The peptides identified from these transcripts are sequelogs of FLPs from the free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans; the genes have therefore been designated as Mi-flp-1, Mi-flp-7, Mi-flp-12, Mm-flp-12 and Mi-flp-14. Mi-flp-1 encodes five FLPs with the common C-terminal moiety, NFLRFamide. Mi-flp-7 encodes two copies of APLDRSALVRFamide and APLDRAAMVRFamide and one copy of APFDRSSMVRFamide. Mi-flp-12 and Mm-flp-12 encode the novel peptide KNNKFEFIRFamide (a longer version of RNKFEFIRFamide found in C. elegans). Mi-flp-14 encodes a single copy of KHEYLRFamide (commonly known as AF2 and regarded as the most abundant nematode FLP), and a single copy of the novel peptide KHEFVRFamide. These FLPs share a high degree of conservation between Meloidogyne species and nematodes from other clades, including those of humans and animals, perhaps suggesting a common neurophysiological role which may be exploited by novel drugs. FLP immunoreactivity was observed for the first time in Meloidogyne, in the circumpharyngeal nerve ring, pharyngeal nerves and ventral nerve cord. Additionally, in situ hybridization revealed Mi-flp-12 expression in an RIR-like neuron and Mi-flp-14 expression in SMB-like neurons, respectively. These localizations imply physiological roles for FLP-12 and FLP-14 peptides, including locomotion and sensory perception.

Sexing up the city in the international beauty contest: the performative nature of spatial planning and the fictive spectacle of place branding

This paper responds to recent calls for more academic research and critical discussion on the relationship between spatial planning and city branding. Through the lens of Liverpool, the article analyses how key planning projects have delivered major transformations in the city's built environment and cultural landscape. More specifically, in concentrating on the performative nature of spatial planning it reveals the physical, symbolic and discursive re-imaging of Liverpool into a 'world class city'. Another aspect of the paper presents important socioeconomic datasets and offers a critical reading of the re-branding in showing how it presents an inaccurate representation of Liverpool. The evidence provided indicates that a more accurate label for Liverpool is a polarised and divided city, thereby questioning the fictive spectacle of city branding. Finally, the paper ends with some critical commentary on the role of spatial planning as an accessory to the sophistry of city branding.

Genetic organization of the O7-specific lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis cluster of Escherichia coli VW187 (O7:K1)

In previous studies the authors cloned and characterized the DNA sequence of the regions at both ends of the O7-specific lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis cluster of Escherichia coli VW187 (O7:K1), and identified the biosynthetic genes for dTDP-rhamnose and GDP-mannose, as well as one of the candidate glycosyltransferases. In this work the complete DNA sequence of a 6.9 kb intervening region is presented. Seven new ORFs were identified. All the functions required for the synthesis and transfer of the O7 LPS were assigned on the basis of complementation experiments of transposon insertion mutants, and amino acid sequence homology to proteins involved in LPS synthesis of other bacteria. Of the seven ORFs, two encoded membrane proteins that were homologous to the O-antigen translocase (Wzx) and polymerase (Wxy), two were involved in the biosynthesis of dTDP-N-acetylviosamine, and the remaining three showed homologies to sugar transferases. The O antigen chain length regulator gene wzz was also identified in the vicinity of the O7 polysaccharide cluster. O7-specific DNA primers were designed and tested for serotyping of O7 E. coli strains.

Reintegrative and Disintegrative Shaming:Legal and Ethical Issues

Abstract
This chapter considers a range of legal and ethical issues raised by the use of reintegrative and disintegrative shaming techniques (Braithwaite, 1989) with sex offenders. ‘Disintegrative shaming’ labels and stigmatises offenders, ostracises them from the local community and may result in violence directed towards offenders (McAlinden, 2005, 2007). ‘Reintegrative shaming’, on the other hand, focuses on rehabilitating the offender within a supportive community environment and assisting the offender in their efforts to change. The former is evident in the range of recent legislative responses designed to protect the community from sex offenders such as notification as well as the popular demand for measures which ‘name and shame’ known sex offenders. The latter is more clearly related to restorative measures such as circles of support and accountability. This chapter argues that although traditionally at opposite ends of the intervention spectrum, each type of mechanism gives rise to potentially difficult legal and ethical considerations.